It must cold and flu season here or everyone’s body has gotten a bite of the “sheep” mentality and started copying each other lol. The reason I say this, as there’s only distinct seasons here in The Philippines, wet and dry season, but pretty much the temp is always warm so you can’t really pinpoint the time when you’ll be sneezing, wet season passed without a hitch, and now it’s dry season and I’ve been sneezing and coughing pretty much everything out except my guts out lol.

Anywhos so this brings me to today’s blog topic. What’s the best of the best stuff to have ready for when you get the colds & flu? After much discussion with friends and fam, here are our picks for some at home remedies and things to stock up on…

Handkerchiefs and/or Thin Face Towels

Vitamin C and a MultiVit Tab

Take a couple of tabs after every meal to keep the immune system in check

Water!! H200000!

Stay hydrated, ask anyone and they’ll list water as a number one priority when you have colds, and even you don’t have one, still keep drinking up! Your body needs it!

Teas

Think Lemongrass, Ginger, Green Tea, Eucalyptus, Lemon….these teas will help soothe a sore throat and the medicinal properties them will get you on the pathway back to optimal health

Dental Hygiene

According to my dentist friends, prevention is the best cure. After brushing your teeth, put toothbrushes in a glass of boiling water to kill any germs. Also whether you have the flu or not, its important to gargle mouthwash too, this will keep bacteria at bay in the throat.

VICKS

How awesome is Vicks, from nasal inhalers to everyone’s home staple, vicks vapor rub. Investing in these two products will make the flu alot more comfortable. Inhaler for stuff noses, vapor rub for the chest, back and as one of my friends tells me, the best place to rub it on is on the soles of your feet before you put some warm socks on. Overnight the vicks absorbs best via this way.

Stuffy nose?

The best nasal spray I’ve come across for a stuffy nose is ‘Drixine’, it’s like a godsend. Spray a couple up your nose before sleeping and you’ll actually be able to breathe! I love this stuff, tastes awful, but you shouldn’t have to use too much. Just remember to have some tissues to ready to blow any excess out after spraying up there. If you can’t find Drixine, look for it’s generic name: Oxymetazoline hydrochloride. It’s the best thing I’ve tried to unclog the nasal cavity.

Cotton Ear Buds

While it is not recommended to stick anything foreign up your nose, after using nasal spray, a little bit of a scoop around there with a soft cotton ear bud will catch any hard pieces of snot up there

Cough Medicine

If your colds and flus really get into your chest and throat. Cough medicine will help loosen of the phlegm. A good old spoon of honey and a generic cough medicine will help get rid of that.

Heat Packs

Mmmm warm and cozy in bed always comes to mind when I’m sick with the flu, well this is how I spent the last few days anyway. A nice warm heat pack either made from hot water poured into a bottle then wrapped in a cloth or hot oat meal wrapped up and then applied to cold parts of the body, around the feet, chest etc.

Socks

I always have my fluffy socks ready for the challenge of feeling better 🙂

Shower & Baths

Sometimes the best way to feel better is to freshen up

Facial Sauna

Either with the little home device, or the use of basin with hot water and your head stooped over it with a towel as a tent around you, this will help loosen up dryness and help you breathe better

Flu Tablets

If you really feel bad, get a couple of tabs, be careful not to overload you’re just going to make yourself worse. Remember to always take meds like cough medicine and tabs after eating. I use bioflu which has paracetemol in it for fever and headaches associated with colds and flus

Eucalyptus Oil

A friend of mine says she puts some on a handkerchief and then pins it on her clothes before sleeping

Clean Sheets

When you’re sick remember to change your bedding regularly you don’t want to keep sleeping with the infection

Warm Soup

Vegie packed soups, spicy if you can handle it are the best things to eat

Virgin Coconut Oil

Here in the Philippines, we believe the best remedy is to drink the oil, it has healing and antibacterial properties

Stock up on Fruit and Juices

Think Orange Juice, anything citrusy, or like in the Philippines, Calamansi

Soft Pillows

Rest up, use lots of pillows to keep your head in a better position, when you lie completely on your back you’ll find congestion occurs more easily, try to sleep with your head a little bit elevated.

Find these ideas helpful?

Share the love by sharing this page 🙂 Got any more ideas? Unique remedies that you swear by? Share them in a comment below! 🙂 Thanks guys! Hope this helps, I know they helped me, I’m just getting over my flu 😀